Tips and Advice Center

Ensure that you have met all the etiquette standards for addressing and sending business Christmas cards. Keep these tips in mind for your boss, colleagues, and clients.

• Mail company Christmas cards for business associates to an office address. If you are social friends, however, it is appropriate to send personalized business Christmas cards to their home in addition to the business Christmas greeting.
• Business Christmas cards should be more formal with brief, professional messages. For example, a lawyer Christmas card would offer a succinct and appropriate message of appreciation.
• When you send a business Christmas card to a colleague in your own office, send the card to their home and address it to “Mr. and Mrs.” if the recipient is married.
• Do not add your spouse’s name in professional Christmas cards.
• Do not send a personal holiday letter in a business Christmas card unless the person is a social friend outside of the workplace environment. Clients and your boss should not receive this type of personal correspondence either.

Social media marketing and online presence aside, there are many advantages to sending a paper business Christmas card rather than an e-card.

• There is a sense of tradition and permanence from paper business cards that e-cards cannot deliver, thereby cementing customer relationships through a personal touch.
• There is a risk that an e-card will end up in the client’s spam box or will be lost due to company firewalls.
• E-cards cannot replace the timeless quality and beauty of quality card stock with embossed letters and foil stamping offered by elegant paper corporate Christmas cards.
• Clients recognize that more thought, effort, and care goes into signing and sending paper business cards than clicking a few buttons to send an e-card.
• The permanence of paper business Christmas cards serves as an excellent reminder to clients that you are available and willing to help them.

The end of year for companies can be a hectic time, complete with closing out the books, wrapping up projects, and preparing for holiday parties. One activity that is important to address among all the planning is ordering company Christmas cards. In order to maximize time, numerous organizations are turning to online card retailers that can reduce the turnaround time on traditional company Christmas cards while still offering value-added services, such as imprinting and high-quality designs.

There are a number of benefits to ordering business Christmas cards online, including:

• Online companies like Holiday Cards Unlimited offer a wide range of choices for personalized business Christmas cards, often exceeding brick and mortar store and catalogue offerings.
• Different categories of card themes can be easily viewed online for quick comparison.
• It is easy to customize and visualize the inside of the card at the time of ordering. Individuals can preview their cards online, complete with the message in the selected font and color.

Check ordering business Christmas cards off your to-do list early this holiday season by ordering your business Christmas cards online. Here are even more advantages to selecting Christmas cards for business through an online card retailer:

• The actual ordering process is easier because pricing is automatically calculated. Catalog purchases often require an individual fill in product numbers and prices for each aspect of the business Christmas card.
• Cards can be customized with various verses, type styles, and colors.
• Personalized business Christmas cards can feature company logos and mottos.
• Collaboration among decision makers is made easier as all card options are present for viewing online.
• Cards can easily be reordered if more cards are required.
• Last-minute orders can often be rushed and shipped quickly.

Companies of all sizes, from the largest corporations to individual entrepreneurs, can easily realize the benefits of buying their business Christmas cards online

Large corporations see the value in buying business Xmas cards in bulk. They may have thousands of clients, customers, colleagues, and staff they need to acknowledge with a card each year.

Small businesses see the value in ordering Christmas cards online too. Even though they may not necessitate the same number of cards as a large corporation, the flexibility offered by online retailers serves their needs well. They are also attracted to the high-quality cards available and the value added services, including imprinting.

Entrepreneurs, service organizations, and even freelance workers also enjoy using this type of service for their personalized business Christmas cards because it helps them market their services and remind their customers of just how much any business is appreciated.

Many business people acknowledge the marketing benefits of sending company Christmas cards. After all, these cards are more than just greetings; they are a reminder to customers of a company’s services and skills. In fact, some companies incorporate their personalized business Christmas cards into a larger marketing strategy.

These companies understand that small tokens of appreciation can mean a lot and further the company message. Enclosing a gift card is a wonderful way to reward employees or thank clients. It’s less expensive than a gift basket or larger ticket item, but it is an unexpected extra that can market the business. Other items to consider include small objects that have been embossed with a company logo, such as a calendar card or pen.

Another helpful idea is to include a coupon or special offer within the business Christmas card, especially for a service-oriented business. If you do plan to utilize this strategy, be sure to track your results by keeping a database on how many cards you sent versus how many were redeemed.

Ensure success and warm holiday cheer among your clients, colleagues, and staff with these do’s and don’ts for business Christmas greeting cards:

• Don’t wait until the last minute to update your database of contacts, order cards, and send them.
• If a business Christmas card is returned due to a bad address, do get the new address and resend the card in a new envelope.
• Do match the business Christmas greetings to your vision and values to reinforce those ideas in the minds of your customers and employees.
• Do send personalized business Christmas cards even in uncertain economic times. It reassures clients and staff of the company’s sustained success and provides a positive message.
• Don’t skimp on quality to save a little money. This sends the wrong message to customers.
• Do take the time to include a personal and thoughtful message of appreciation.
• Do consider having your return address printed on the back of the card. A pre-printed return address looks clean and adds a quality effect, especially when compared to typical labels.

Challenging times call for creative ideas to help get your message out to customers. Christmas cards for business provide a great opportunity for this as well as an opportunity to open up a dialogue.
Within your imprinted message or with the card itself, think about some specific marketing methods to incorporate:

• Mention upcoming promotions and specials.
• Enclose a coupon for goods or services.
• Create a giveaway for the holiday season.
• Add a gift card or small promotional gift.
• If the client has a dedicated sales person, have the sales person include a friendly, professional note.

Many businesses have a difficult time deciding where to draw the line on the quantity of their business Christmas greeting cards. After all, there could be thousands of potential recipients if you consider all clients, employees, prospects, and past customers. The trick is to break the list down into manageable chunks. Consider these ideas for keeping your business Christmas card recipient list on target:

• Start with your regular customers as the primary recipients of personalized business Christmas cards. These customers could also receive a small gift or coupon, depending on your budget.
• Include customers that have used your products and services recently but may not be regular customers.
• Consider key prospects and leads that match your target audience, whether that is lifestyle, age, or geography.
• Do not forget about your colleagues, networking circle, and, most importantly, your staff.

Corporate social responsibility is an important consideration for both large and small businesses. Companies want to both be socially responsible and communicate their values. In order to promote the idea that your firm is environmentally friendly and is taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint, consider utilizing “green” business Christmas cards.

Be sure to select Christmas cards for business that are made with 100% certified recycled materials. Other signs of “green” business Christmas cards include the use of at least 20% post consumer waste and the use of soy or agra-inks. Also choose envelopes that follow a similar standard.

Don’t be tempted to forgo physical Christmas cards in favor of impersonal e-cards. Digital cards do not have the same impact on the customer as they require little to no effort on the sender’s part. Also, they could easily end up in a junk email folder and lack the warm message of a physical card.

Dollar for dollar, sending corporate Christmas cards is an effective and inexpensive marketing strategy as well as morale booster; one that should be leveraged and retained even during tough economic times. There are benefits to using business Christmas cards, for both clients and employees.

Business Xmas cards are a very cost-effective mechanism for opening communication channels with clients and prospects. The business Christmas greeting sends the message that business is still churning and clients are appreciated. Customers feel that appreciation and gratitude, perhaps even more in a tough economy when other companies may have cut back on their Christmas card budgets.

Like customers, employees receiving business Christmas cards also feel confident that business is stable, and they appreciate the recognition of their efforts. Motivation and morale may see a boost.
Ultimately, corporate Christmas cards send a positive message of recovery, support, and sustainability.

There are many reasons not to discount the value of sending Christmas cards for business. Here are a few:

• Business Christmas greeting cards are some of the least inexpensive ways to market your business.
• Christmas cards for business are a low-key way of advertising your business without obviously pushing it on customers or prospects.
• Surveys suggest that business Christmas cards build customer loyalty and enhance the value of brands.
• Employees that receive business Christmas greetings tend to feel more appreciated, leading to increased motivation and loyalty.
• Business Christmas cards allow organizations to articulate plainly their core company values to both employees and clients.

Business Xmas cards are from the company, so get the company involved in sending them out. Here are some ideas to consider for getting the staff in the card-sending mood:

• Have a business Christmas card writing “party” at work. Get the full staff involved in handwriting company Christmas cards, sealing and addressing envelopes, and adding postage. Make it an assembly line process where everyone can work together but socialize at the same time. If the budget allows, provide refreshments.
• Utilize college interns who are eager to step foot inside a business environment.
• Offer a small gift or reward to a volunteer that takes on the extra task for coordinating the effort, including ordering the business Christmas cards.

With so much to remember during the holiday season, don’t forget some of these very important business etiquette tips to ensure a smooth business Christmas card delivery:

• Make sure that you hand sign each card. Use your first and last name in the signature and make an effort to ensure the signature is legible and neat. Take a break if your hand gets tired or your signature starts to appear sloppy.
• If possible, avoid proper titles or credentials. This depersonalizes your efforts. While business Christmas cards should be professional, there is a fine line between professional and impersonal.
• Don’t resort to “chicken scratch.” Practice writing your signature before putting pen to paper.
• Be wary of including a business card within the card. This may seem like you are obviously trying to pitch the recipient for work or a sale.
• Consider focusing on the season’s themes with a short note that adds warmth and personality to the company Christmas cards.

The old adage of “you get what you pay for” still holds true, even with business Christmas cards. Cutting corners with cheap holiday cards will not send the right messages to clients and employees.

To send the right message, be sure to find an online retailer that can deliver personalized business Christmas cards that are high in quality. Also, for your benefit, look for a provider that includes some value-added extras.

Look for the following features that define high-quality business Xmas cards:

• A sufficient stock suitable for business. If the stock is too thin, the card feels flimsy. Conversely, a heavy stock may be a bit excessive for business Christmas cards.
• Clear and vibrant graphics, design, or photographs
• High-quality printing that does not show any splotches or ink spots
• Consistent color
• Envelopes that provide a good seal
• Value-added features, such as embossing, foil stamping, and imprinting
• A variety of messaging, fonts, colors, and type sizes